Man killed by Vacaville police identified as Fairfield resident

Vacaville police have identified the man shot and killed by officers Thursday at the end of a slow-speed chase through the city as Kendall Walker, 24, of Fairfield.

Walker was killed around 7:30 p.m. after allegedly getting out of his vehicle and coming at officers armed with a knife and hammer.

Earlier in the day, Vacaville police were contacted by two people who said they were concerned about "threats and threatening behavior" being exhibited by someone at two Vacaville residences, Lt. Ian Schmutzler said.

An officer received information that the suspect, later identified as Walker, was at a residence in South Vacaville and in possession of a folding knife, framing hammer and a crowbar, he said. Officers spotted a maroon Geo Metro driven by Walker speeding away from the residential neighborhood and tried to pull the vehicle over for both traffic violations and to investigate the reports of threatening behavior.

Walker reportedly refused to completely stop the car, yelling at officers before eventually driving away. The officers then engaged in a slow-speed pursuit along city streets.

During the chase, an officer attempted to throw a spike strip in the path of Walker's vehicle near Ulatis and Christine drives. Walker turned his car, missing the strip, and then "aggressively" turned and quickly accelerated toward the officer who threw the strip, Schmutzler said. The officer was forced to run and jump out of the way to avoid being struck.

Pursuing officers then used a pursuit intervention technique (PIT) maneuver in another attempt to end the pursuit. However, Walker again turned his car toward officers and accelerated, "continuing to place officers at great risk of injury or death," officials said. Officers did a second PIT maneuver, finally bringing Walker's vehicle to a stop in the middle of Ulatis, just west of Christine.

Grabbing a hammer and a knife, Walker exited his vehicle and started toward officers "in an aggressive and threatening manner, ignoring repeated commands to stop and comply" with their orders, Schmutzler said.

One officer fired several shots at Walker, striking him four times. Officers immediately began life-saving efforts while Vacaville Fire Department paramedics were called to the scene, where Walker died.

Kyle Lusby, who lives in the neighborhood near where the shooting occurred, had been listening to the pursuit on a scanner and drove to the scene just as officers were rolling out crime scene tape.

"I heard them say 'He's trying to ram a police car,' and 'shots fired,' and I jumped up," Lusby recalled as he stood near the cordoned-off corner of Christine and Ulatis.

"You just don't expect it to happen in this neighborhood," he added.

According to Schmutzler, Walker has a history of police contacts in Solano County dating back to 2010 that include resisting arrest, felony domestic violence, assault and exhibiting a deadly weapon.

Because of the of the urgency of the situation, officers could not risk the fail rate that accompanies Taser use, and what could have happened when it shut off, Schmutzler said.

"When presented with a deadly weapon, a knife or gun, a Taser is not a viable option," he explained.

Officials are awaiting toxicology results from an autopsy conducted Friday, and are looking into the possibility that narcotics and/or a psychiatric condition may have played a key role in Walker's actions, Schmutzler said. The Vacaville Police Department is asking anyone who witnessed the incident, or has knowledge that may help in this investigation, to contact Detective Mark Ferreira at 449-5258.